Rotary take-up for sewing-machines



(No Model.) Y 3 Sheet s-Sheet 1 S; W. WARDWELLQJI'.

ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MAGHI BS. a No. 357,251. Patented Feb. 8; 1887.

N, PETERS, Phnlo'ulhcgnphar. Wnhington. D. C.

(No Mode l.) s Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. W. WARDWELL, Jr.

ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MAOHINBS. No. 357,251. v Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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N rrrzna Mob-Lithograph", Wuhlngton, BUG.

(No Model.) 1 r W 3 SheetS-Sheet 3. S. W. WARDWELL, Jr.

' ROTARY TAKE-UP POR'SEWING MACHINES. H No. 357,251. I Patented Feb. 8, 1887;

UNITED STATES SIMON W. WARDWELL, JR, on WOONSOGKET, RHODE ISLAND, AssIeNon PATENT OFFICE,

TO WILLIAM P. EARLE, TRUSTEE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ROTARY ,TAKE-UP FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,251, dated February 8, 1887.

' Application filed January '7, 1886. Serial No. 187,907. (No model.)

my invention consists of a takeup device in which the take-up function is performed by,a rotary traveling shoulder, on which the needlethread is held by a retaining-bar until the bobbin-loop has been drawn up, the stitch tightened, and sufficient thread drawn from the spool for a newstitch, and in which, when the device is used for machines running at very high speeds, a preliminary drawing of the thread is effected, all as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-.

Figure l is a face view illustrating one construction in which my invention may be embodied. Fig.2 is a plan of Fig. 1, illustrating the parts in a different position. Fig. 3 is an edge view of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5, detached plan views; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8, detached face views, illustrating the operation of the device. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a sewing'machine with my improved take-up device combined with the balanccwheel thereof; Fig. 10, a View illustrating a modification- In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 there is a wheel, A, mounted upon a shaft, a,

the said, wheel being arranged upon the sewing-machine in any suitable position. I prefer, however, to arrange it as shown in Fig. 9, so that the wheel Aserves not only as the takeup wheel but as the driving and balance wheel of the machine.

Upon the wheel, preferably at the periphery thereof, is a flange, or, as shown, there are two flanges, B B, forming annular ribs, which ribs are of uniform height, except between the points 2 3, where they are higher than elsewhere, forming on each a shoulder, a, and an goinclined face, (1, extending from the point 2 to At a point above the channel :0, between the v ribs, is arranged in a fixed position a plate or bar, E, which I term a retaining-bar, the

lower or inner edge, 10, of which is curved to correspond to the curve of the edges of the flanges B, but is arranged at a slight distance therefrom, sufficient to permit the passage of a thread, as set forth hereinafter.

An extension from the rear end of the retaining-bar E projects inward below the edges of the flanges, and is formed to constitute what I terma slacking-toe, h, having an inclined edge, 6, leading upward to a point, 7, on the heel of the bar E, and at the forward end of the said bar a projection extends inward, forming a-cast-off toe, f, having an inclined edge, 8, leading upward into a notclnm, forming. a

- shoulder, g.

A plate, I, is suspended in a fixed position outside of the outer flange, B, and against this plate bears a tension-spring plate, K, held in position by a screw, L, extending into the tension-plate I, and by a spring, m, coiled around 7 5 the screw and bearing upon a shoulder thereof and upon the tension-spring plate K, these parts, as well as the retaining-bar E, being, in the construction shown, all supported by an arm, Q, extending from the bed of the sewingmachine over the top of the wheel A, a distance-plate, M, separating the retaining-bar E and the tension-plate I.

The thread is conducted from a spool or bobbin, R, arranged in any suitable position, through a guide or eye, p, over the flanges B, adjacent to the heel of the retaining-bar E, through a slot in the plate I, between the tension-plate I and tension-spring plate K, above the screw L, and, as shown in Fig. 9, across the forward edge of the plate I, between the contiguous edges of the retaining-bar and the flanges B, and then through an eye or the tension device and thread-guides to form the first loop that passes over the bobbin. Rotation then being imparted to the wheel A in the direction of its arrow, the operations will be as follows: The shoulder 0 will first be brought against the thread where it crosses the flanges adjacent to the heel of the retaining-bar E, drawing a portion from the spool and carrying it forward and oyer the inclined edge 6 of the slackening-toe 71, until the said in clined edge lifts the thread from the shoulder to a position above the projecting portion of the flanges, leaving it slack between the spool and tension device, as shown in Fig. 4. This preliminary slackening of the thread between the spool and tension device is of great importance when running at a high rate of speed, as the sudden resistance of the inertia of the spool, if added to the tensional friction, would be sufficient to draw the locks to the top of the material, (making a bad seam,) and at a very high rate of speed (as from three to four thousand revolutions per minute) to frequently break the thread. After the shoulder a has passed from contact with that portion of the thread between the spool and tension device, it is brought against the other transverse portion of the thread, extending between the tension device and needle over the flanges and beneath the retaining-bar, as shown in Fig. 5, and carries it forward until the shoulder c is opposite the notch o in the retaining-bar, as shown in Fig. 6, thus drawing up the bobbinloop, tightening the stitch, and drawing sufficient thread for a new stitch, through the tension device, from the slack between the tension device and spool. The transverse portion of the thread will then ride over the inclined shoulder S of the cast-off toe f, and being thrown off the shoulder 0 will be caught upon the shoulderg of the notch v, as shown in Fig. 7, and held temporarily.

The loop of thread will be retained within the notch until the needle is ready to enter the cloth, the object being to prevent the thread from being thrown out of the guides by the elastic rebound from the sudden release from strain. \Vhen the projecting portion of the flanges has passed the notch and there is an open space between the flanges and the edge of the retaining-bar E, the thread will be carried into said space, as shown in Fig. 8, and will be drawn back by the forming of the bobbin-loop to the position shown in Figs. 1 and v 4, after which the above-described operations will be repeated in the same order.

It will be seen that all the parts above described operate positively to slacken, draw out, and release the thread; that there are no reflex motions except of the thread itself, so that the parts can be operated with great rapidity; that there is but little friction upon 4 the thread by the take-up devices, the only frictional action resulting from the passage of the thread across the shoulder c, where a roller may be inserted, if desired, and that the operation is noiseless, there being no loose or moving parts, except the wheel A, and consequently no contacting devices.

Instead of two flanges, there may be but one, and the flanges may be upon the periphery or at the side of the wheel, the form of the retaining-bar being correspondingly varied; and I do not limit myself to the use of the shoulder 0 for imparting the initial movement to the portion of thread between the spool and tension device and for preliminarily slackening the said portion and for drawing the thread' from the spool, as a separate shoulder or arm, Q3, Fig. 1, dotted lines, may be arranged to strike this portion of the thread, and the thread, instead of being disengaged from the said shoulder or arm, or from the shoulder c, by raising the thread outward, may be disconnected by drawing the shoulder inward, in which case the part upon which the shoulder is formed must be movable. For instance, in Fig. 10 the, portion of the flange 13 between the points 2 3 is pivoted at if, so that it may be drawn down to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 10, by a cam, n, arranged to strike the pin 0' upon the side of the movable portion, a spring, q, throwing said portion out ward, the retaining-bar preventing the thread from being thrown outward from the retaining-shoulder by the centrifugal action resulting from the high speed at which the shoulder travels. It will be evident that other forms of cast-off or detaching means may be employed.

Any suitable tension device may be substituted for that shown, and instead of providing the flanges B with a projecting or elevated portion behind the shoulder a, they may be ,of uniform height, in which case the bar E, instead of being fixed, should be pivoted at w, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, so as to normally occupy an inward position, with its lower edge below the outer edge of the flanges, and be lifted whenever the thread is to escape from the shoulder g and move back to the position shown in Fig. 8.

Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim 1. A take-up device for sewing machines, consisting of a rotating wheel provided with a shoulder, guides arranged to conduct the thread from the spool to a position to be struck by the said shoulder, that it may be carried therewith,means,substantially as described, for

detaching the thread from the shoulder, and

a bar arranged to hold the thread in position upon the shoulder until it is detached therefrom, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the rotating wheel, provided with a shoulder for catching the thread, a thread-slackening device, and a bar arranged adjacent to the path of the shoulder so that its edge will be traversed by the thread carried by the shoulder, a detaching device whereby the thread is disengaged from the saidshoulder, and aretaining-shoulder, g, for holdingrthe thread temporarily after it has been detached, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a rotating wheel, a shoulder thereon, a tension device, and guides arranged, as described, at opposite sides of the path of the shoulder, and one forward of the other, to conduct a thread across the path of the shoulder at separate points from a spool to said tension device and from the latter to aneedle, and releasing means, substantially as described. to detach the thread from the shoulder afterit is caught thereby at opposite ends of the tension device, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in a thread take up, of a thread-supporting spool, a tension device, and a traveling shoulder between said spool and tension device, with guidesto place a thread in the track of and in contact with said shoulder and a releasing device to disconnect said thread from said shoulder, whereby the thread is left slack between-the spool and tension device prior to the drawing up of the bobbinloop by said take-up, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination, in a rotating take-up, a thread-supply,a traveling shoulder, a tension device, and thread-supporting guides on opposi'te sides of the path of the shoulder, the said traveling shoulder engaging the thread intermediate the 'snpplyand tension device, as set forth.

. 6. The combination, with a traveling shoul-- der, thread-conducting guides, and means to conduct a thread back and forth in the path .of said shoulder, of means for disconnecting one portion of said thread from the shoulder before the other portion is caught thereby, and asecond means for disconnecting said latter portion from the shoulder,substantially asv described. V

'7. The combination of the traveling shoulder, a tension device, guides conducting the thread to and from the tension device across the path of the shoulder, and disconnecting means at opposite sides of the tension device, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a traveling shoulder, tension device, guides conducting the thread to and from the tension device in the path of the shoulder and a bar arranged to hold the thread to the shoulder and cast-off devices at opposite ends of the bar, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, in a take-up device, of awheel provided with one or more flanges, with projecting portions and with shoulders, a bar arranged toleave a slight space between its inner edge and the edges of the flanges, a tension device and guides directing the thread across the flanges to and from the tension device, and detaching devices arranged to disconnect the thread from the shoulders at each side of the tension device, substantiallyas set forth.

10. The combination ofthe wheel having flanges with projections and shoulders, a tension device and guides, a retaining-bar, and detaching devices consisting of toes with inclined edges, and, a shoulder, g, substantially as described.

ll. The combination of the wheel having flangeswith projections and shoulders,tension device, and guides, and retaining-bar having a shoulder, g, and notch 17, and detaching toes with inclined edges, substantially as set forth,

12; The combination, with the balancewheel of a sewing-machine, of a tension device and thread-guides, a shoulder upon said wheel arranged to make contact with the thread, and detaching devices whereby said thread is detached from the shoulder at opposite sides of the tension device, substantiallyas set forth.

13. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of a balance-wheel, tension device carried by an arm extending above the wheel, threadgnides directing the thread to and from the tension device across the face of the wheel, a shoulder on the wheel adapted to catch the thread on each side of the tension device, and means for detaching the thread upon each side of the tension device, substantially as set forth 14. The combination of the wheel having parallel shouldered flanges, a retaining -bar arranged adjacent to the said flanges and pro-' vided with a notch, shoulder, and cast off toes extending between the flanges, and a tension device arranged between the cast oft toes, substantially as set forth.

15. A traveling shoulder, thread-guides arranged adjacent to the path of said shoulder upon opposite sides thereof at two different points to support a thread crossing said path, and means, substantially as described, to cause said shoulder to successively engage and release the two cross portions of the thread, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIMON WV. W ARDWELL, JR. \Vitnesses:

JEFFERSON ALDRICH, G. E. BISHQP. 

